Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

I adore sandwiches. I absolutely adore a great chicken parm sandwich. With the addition of a beautiful pesto sauce, this chicken parm sandwich goes to the moon and back! To top it off, this recipe is a tad healthier version than the original version. The key to the flavor is it’s actually sauced twice with both a tomato and pesto sauces – I know and more healthy? Once you have tried it, you will be addicted too!

Heat your oven to 400 F and arrange the cooking rack to the middle of the oven. Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally. Set a cooling rack on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

Prepare Breading Stations

Combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper in a shallow container, mix well until combined and set aside.

Combine the Panko with parsley, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a separate shallow container, and toss until well combined; and set aside.

In a third shallow container whisk together egg whites, the egg and cheese until evenly combined.

Coat the chicken by dredging each piece in the flour mixture and shaking any excess off. Then dip into the egg mixture, allow the excess to drip off, and then finally roll in the breadcrumbs, press to adhere as needed. Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and repeat until all the remaining chicken has been breaded. Bake the chicken until the coating has started to turn golden and crispy, the juices of the chicken runs clear when poked with a fork, and the internal temperature has reached 160 F, this will take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven, turn on the broiler. Spread a spoonfuls of tomato sauce on the top of each chicken breast and then add one spoonful of pesto so the chicken has half and half look of tomato and pesto on it. Top with a thin slice of your low-moisture mozzarella and allow to broil until the cheese starts to bubble.

Serve the chicken on the toasted rolls and grate some additional Parmesan just before serving.